Department of Materials Science and Engineering

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

3.14 Physical Metallurgy – Fall 2008

Quiz II

Friday, November 7, 2008

The Rules:

1) No calculators allowed

2) Two hand written 3x5 index cards may be prepared as a crutch—one is the same one you
used on the first quiz, the second is new.

3) Complete 4 out of the 5 problems. If you do more than 4 problems, I will grade the first
4 that are not crossed out.

4) Make sure that you READ THE QUESTIONS CAREFULLY

5) Supplementary materials are attached to the end of the test (eqns., etc.)

6) WRITE YOUR NAME HERE:

Problem #1: Fraternal Twins

You have samples of three hexagonal metals, in single crystal form. You load these in
COMPRESSION, and they all twin on [1012], exactly as discussed in class. What is more, they
each form a twin of the same width. In other words, the three twins look like this:

A C
B
Part A:
Notice that the three twins, although they are the same width, are not identical. Explain what is
different. How would this difference appear in the stress-strain curves of the three metals?

Part B:
The three metals in question are beryllium, zirconium, and magnesium. Using the data attached
at the end of the test, decide which of the three samples, A-C, is which metal. Explain.
Problem #2: Science Fiction Solutes

On a far and distant planet, a very advanced species has figured out how to take a metal atom and
change its characteristic shape (!).

After being abducted by these aliens and transported to their homeworld, you are asked to
consider making new solid-solution strengthened alloys using these fancy solute atoms.

Here are three atoms that the aliens have proposed to you. All other things being equal (i.e.,
solute concentration, solute atom size), rank these shapes as potential SUBSTITUTIONAL solid
solution strengtheners in an FCC metal. Please write some explanatory sentences so I
understand your thoughts.

dodecahedron

tetrahedron

They can also make individual spherical atoms with elastic anisotropy—they are stiffer in one
direction than the others (!). Rank the following atoms again for their potential for substitutional
solid solution strengthening. The two stiffnesses are shown in each case.

30 GPa 30 GPa
10 GPa

10 GPa 30 GPa
20 GPa
Problem #3: Mono-ReX and Bi-ReX

You have two samples of a pure metal. One is a single crystal, and one is a bicrystal (two grains,
one grain boundary, as shown):

Single crystal Bicrystal

Now, you take these two samples and give them exactly the same treatment. First you deform
them to the same strain level, and then you heat them to the same temperature. They both
recrystallize, and as they do, you measure the fraction recrystallized, f. You plot the data in a
very smart way:

3 <slope < 4
The two lines here are the results for the two
samples, “s”ingle crystal and “b”icrystal.
ln(ln(1-f))
slope ≈ 4

b s

ln(time)

Part A:
Explain why the bicrystal has faster ReX kinetics.

Part B:
Explain why the slopes of the two data sets are different.

Part C:
In light of these data and your answers to Parts A and B, draw a picture of what you think the
recrystallized structure might look like.
Problem 4: A Rather Messy Annealing Problem in Which Precipitates are Embroiled

Here is the phase diagram of a hypothetical alloy. It

is precipitation strengthened in the normal way, at
the composition “C”: first, it was solutionized, and
then precipitation aging was carried out at T1.

Consider what would happen if this alloy were

worked and annealed. At room temperature (RT),
T2
the alloy is strained. Then annealing is carried out at
T1
T2.

RT
C

List at least three important microstructure changes that happen during annealing, and explain
whether each of these would promote strengthening or weakening of the alloy.
Problem 5: Feelin’ Loopy

Here are two dislocation loops, in the same material, but far separated from each other.

At room temperature, these loops are present and do not evolve over an appreciable time scale.

However, upon heating, both loops shrink. At a temperature T, the radius declines as shown:

Part A:
Explain why these curves are concave-down. That is,
explain why the shrinkage accelerates as the loops get
Loop radius

smaller.

Part B:
Match each of the two loops above with one kinetic
curve, and explain why the one loop shrinks faster
than the other.
time
Helpful (?) Bonus Information

Stress field around an edge dislocation:

μb y(3x 2 + y 2 )
σ xx = −
2π (1−ν ) (x 2 + y 2 ) 2
μb y(x 2 − y 2 )
σ yy =
2π (1−ν ) (x 2 + y 2 ) 2
μb x(x 2 − y 2 )
σ xy =
2π (1−ν ) (x 2 + y 2 ) 2

σ zz = ν (σ xx + σ yy )
all other σ components are = 0.

Stress field around a screw dislocation:

μb
σ rz =
2πr

all other σ components are =

0, and note that r2 = x2+y2

Forces between dislocations:

Parallel edge:
μb 2 y(3x 2 + y 2 )
Fy =
2π (1 − ν ) (x 2 + y 2 ) 2 Please see Appendix B in Reed-Hill, Robert E., and Reza Abbaschian.
μb 2 x(x 2 − y 2 ) Physical Metallurgy Principles. Boston, MA: PWS Publishing, 1994.
Fx =
2π (1 − ν ) (x 2 + y 2 ) 2
Parallel screw:
μb 2
Fr =
2πr

JMAK Equation:

f = 1-exp(-kνdtd+1)
 014 001
013 014
013
012 012
023 023
113
114 104 114
011 103 011
123 113 113 123
102
032 133 112213 112 133 032
122 213 203
132 101 313 122 021
021 212 212 132
111 313 111
031 121 312 302 121 031
312
131 211 201 221 131
041 231 221 211 141 041
141
311 301
401 311
231
331 321 321 331
140 120 110 210 410 100 410 210 110 120 140
010 010
130 230 320 310 310 320 230 130
331 311 321 331
231 301 231
141 221 321 311 211 141
041 201 221 041
131 211 312 312 131
031 121 302 121 031
111 313 101 212
111 132
132 021
021 122 212 313 122
213 203 133 032
032 133 112 213 112
102
123 113 103 113 123
011 011
114 104 114
023 023
012 012
013 014 013
014
001

Figure by MIT OpenCourseWare.

123 112 213

011
101
113 203
023
012 114
132 013 102
331 104 103 313 312
221 123 014 213 212
001 114 113
121 112 211
131 114 311
113 104 014
112
231 141 111 213 103 114 013 123 111 411 321
212 102 012
221 113 023 122 221
313 203 112
331 312 123 133 331
101 213 011 132
321 313 121
211 302 212 133 032 231
122
110 311 201 312 111 132 021 131 110
320 301 121 031
411 401 211 221 131 041 141 230
310 311 141
410 411 321 331 231 140 120
210 130
100 310 320 110 120 140 010
411 410 141 231
321 210 230 130 131
411 411 141 041
401 321 331
311 301 311 231 131 031
211 221 121
211 121
201 021
312 302 312 132 032 132
111
212 221
114 331
313 113 011
101

213 112 123

Figure by MIT OpenCourseWare.

MIT OpenCourseWare
http://ocw.mit.edu

3.40J / 22.71J / 3.14 Physical Metallurgy

Fall 2009

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